In my first article (aptly named How I Built a Daisy List & Why – Part 1) of this 3 part article series, I covered what a Daisy List was and why you’d bother to put one together. Today I’ll look at what you should include on your list and provide some inspiration for ideas in case you get to about 11 and can’t think of anymore to add!
What should be included on a Daisy List?
Well, basically the short answer is, it’s your list so include whatever the hell you like! If you’ve got a burning desire to run naked through a field of wild flowers whilst yodeling Tip Toe Through the Tulips then you just go for it you crazy thing you. Personally, the chance of snakebite or breaking my ankle in a rabbit hole is enough to dissuade me. Likewise, climbing a mountain, heli skiing and making a giant chocolate chip cookie may not be your cup of tea but they made it to my list.
When constructing your Daisy List, my recommendation is to first think about what is important to you and then centre your list around them. Obviously we are all unique (some more unique than others, naked yodellers for instance) so if you do this your experiences will be fun, fulfilling and memorable for you.
For example, here is what is important to me and examples of corresponding experiences I’ve added to my Daisy List;
Family & friends: #65. Have a 3 course dinner party for Mum & Dad.
Health & spirit: #42. Spend 3 months getting my body into shape.
Adventure & travel: #85. The “Ice Breaker” trek to the South Pole.
Fun: #16. Go in the Variety Club Bash (Australian charity car race).
Giving: #66. Donate blood.
I also recommend you include big dreams and small ones. It’s not every day you can go on safari to commune with the Mongolian Wood Lemming in its natural habitat. Surprising someone with a bunch of flowers takes a little less planning (and cash).
Your list can include places you’d like to see, cool things you’d like to do for others or just plain weird things. It’s entirely up to you. It’s really not a “one list fits all” scenario.
Ideas for your Daisy List?
If you’re only at say, number 9 and you really can’t think of anything else to add to your Daisy List, you have 2 choices, you can be happy with a Daisy List consisting of 9 things (which is fine) or you can get inspiration from any of the following ways;
- Go to a site like Red Balloon Days, Extravagift.com, Cloud 9 Living or Lastminute.com. They have all sorts of awesome experiences that you may never have thought of but would love to try.
- You’ll find you randomly think of things during the course of your day. When you do, make a note of them somewhere and then add them to your list.
- Google the terms “bucket list ” or “100 things to do before you die”. You’ll find what other people have put on similar lists that may interest you as well.
- Ask your family and friends what’s one thing they’d like to do before they’re pushing up daisies and use that for inspiration.
- Have a flick through travel brochures or brochures for tourists. You might be surprised what you find on offer in your local area that you’d like to add to your list.
Don’t be afraid of adding experiences that seem impossible to achieve or that you have no idea how to go about organising. As I mentioned in the “what’s the point of a Daisy List” section of the last article, you will be surprised how things just work out. For example, I recently received an email from my Aunt with a bunch of ideas and contacts for several of my Daisy List entries. She’d read over my list and thought she’d let me know how she could help. Thanks Auntie Linda – you rock!
By the way, given it’s your list, you have every right to change it, add to it or take things off whenever you like and as you go along. Things change, so too can your list.
Of course the whole point of a Daisy List is to actually DO what’s on there. In the final article I’ll give you some tips on how you go about implementing your Daisy List to dos. Watch this space!
So do you already have a list of your own? What’s one thing you’d like to do or see that’s on the list or is going to be?
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This is a great little three part article.
I’ve been working on mine over the past few days; I’ll just carry a notebook with me wherever I go, and whenever I have a good idea, I’ll jot it down!
I don’t have a list of my own and I think I need to start one. As you said the other day, it’s surprising how when you put things out into the world, they come to you.
Hey Sami,
Cool! So glad you’ve started your own list. You’ll have to let us know a couple of the things you have added to it.
The notebook is a great idea. Great stuff!
Hey Postively Present,
I had been thinking about putting a list together for ages but it wasn’t until I actually put it down on paper (or in my case, on the computer) that doors started to open. It’s true what they say, “be careful what you ask for because it just might come true”. I’ve found that where you put your focus correlates to what opportunities are presented to you. Btw, if a list doesn’t work for you, you can always put it together using pictures. That would definitely work too.
Daisy list … I love this idea!
I’ll start mine. One immediate item is going home to San Diego for Father’s Day next month.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Viveca
Hi Viveca,
That’s awesome! Very pleased to hear you’ll be starting your own list and San Diego is a great start.
Thanks for stopping by.
I really like the way you use your priorities to build your list (and vice versa). The value of giving helped me think of something I’ve always thought was super-cool: donating hair for charity! Now that it is on my list, I might actually do it instead of thinking about it. Thanks!
Hi Ann Elise,
That is too cool! Love the donating hair idea. Good on you for adding that to your list.
The idea of using what’s important to you to drive the list is so that what you have on the list is meaningful to you, not to mention, fun.
I don’t think I mentioned – you’re way creative Sami – I love the concept of “pushing up daisies” as the inspiration behind the name of your list. And I’m going to check out some of the sites you’ve listed – now I’m curious what I’m not even thinking about that could be ultra-cool to do. I’ve had a short list for several years – and it is pretty neat to look back at it – and see that what I wrote – well, things did get done on that list! Just the act of writing it down can give life to these “things”. I’ll probably skip the naked yodeling too…
Hey Lance,
Thanks so much. I’ve got to say I’ve only really tapped in to my creative (ie writing) side in the last couple of years. VERY glad I did because I love it!
Not sure if anyone outside of Aus has heard of the “pushing up daisies” term. It’s common here. I much prefer Daisy List to bucket list!
I predominantly used the Red Balloon Days site, mainly because it’s based in Aus. There was SO much on that site that I’d love to (and will) do. And it’s very true Lance that writing things down adds power. I’ve had so many “coincidences” happen since compiling the list.